16

Matt Pelech (D)

Rochester Americans

Name:

Matt Pelech

Number:

16

Position:

D

Shoots:

R

Height:

6-5

Weight:

235

Birthdate:

1987-09-04

Birth place:

Toronto, ON

Biography

2013-14: enters the season with 77 fighting majors and 1000 penalty minutes in 353 AHL games… assigned to Worcester on 10/4… played in the san Jose Sharks season opener and recorded two penalty minutes…. enters 7th professional season…2012-13:… 58gp with Worcester (3-4-7), (0-1-1 ppp), 238pims, 17 fighting majors…-16, 59 shots, 0-for-0 in the shootout, 6th professional season …set a single season Worcester Sharks record with 238 penalty minutes (5th in AHL)… led the team with 17 fighting majors…played defense and forward…suspended twice by the AHL for a total of seven games….game-by-game: currently has a two game point streak (2-0-2)….did not dress last four games on 4/14-4/20 due to injury… 3rd goal in 4-3OTL vs. Norfolk on 4/13…2nd goal of season in 4-3L vs. Norfolk on 4/12…roughing minor to hit 1,000 penalty minutes in 352nd AHL game in 3-0W at Bridgeport on 4/9….16th (Riley)and 17th (McIver) fighting majors and game misconduct in 6-3L at Bridgeport on 4/4…recorded a roughing minor to set the Worcester Sharks single season record with 212 penalty minutes surpassing Brennan Evans (211pmis in 07-08) in 5-4OTL vs. St. John’s on 3/30…15th fighting major vs. Patrick Wellar on 3/24…14th fighting major vs. Dalton Smith on 3/22…14 penalty minutes to become only the 2nd Worcester Sharks player (Brennan Evans 211 in 2007-08) to ever hit 200 penalty minutes on 3/13…loaned back to Worcester on 3/10 after being a scratch in two games for the San Jose Sharks…received 3rd NHL with San Jose on 3/8…scored his first goal in 80 games and was #2 star in 5-1W vs. Springfield on 2/24…13th fighting major vs. Justin Johnson on 2/22…loaned to Worcester on 2/21….recorded two penalty minutes in 2-1W at St. Louis on 2/19…recalled by San Jose Sharks on 2/18…loaned to Worcester on 2/13 after appearing in one game with San Jose Sharks (0-0-0) and five penalty minutes….played first game with the San Jose Sharks and fought Jared Boll and threw team high five hits in 6-2L at Columbus on 2/11…recalled by San Jose (emergency recall) on 2/10…recorded 25 penalty minutes and power play assist in 4-0W at St. John’s on 2/6…12th fighting major vs. Bobby Robins on 2/2…picked up his 10th (Slater) and 11th (Fitzgerald) fighting majors and his 900th AHL penalty minute in 2-1L to Adirondack on 1/19… listed as forward as of 1/19…. loaned to Worcester on 1/18 but did not dress on 1/18 (traveling)…recalled by San Jose on 1/13….did not dress on 1/12 to prepare for SJ training camp…team leading 9th fighting major vs. Dalton Smith on 1/11…8th fighting major vs. Mark Louis on 1/8….dressed as forward on 1/6…assist on game winning goal in 3-2W at Manchester on 12/31…12 penalty minutes on 12/21…7th fighting major (Haley) on 12/12…6th fighting major (Clune) on 12/9…suspended by the AHL on 11/29 for three games for illegal check to head of Mark Barberio of the Syracuse Crunch on 11/25…match penalty and game misconduct in 6-1L vs. Syracuse on 11/25…27 penalty minutes and 5th fighting major in 5-1W vs. Portland on 11/24…4th fighting major vs. Mark Louis on 11/14…3rd fighting major (Robins) on 11/11…12 penalty minutes on 11/10…did not dress on 11/3…did not dress last four games 10/26-11/2 due to 4 game AHL suspension… suspened by the AHL for four games for leaving bench to start fight on 10/20…skated in his 300th AHL game and picked up 2nd fighting major (Leach) and 15 total penalty minutes in 4-0Lrecorded 1st fighting major vs. Troy Bodie in 4-2 loss at Norfolk on 10/12…named Sharks alternate road captain on 10/11….enters 6th professional season…2011-12:… 59gp with Worcester (1-7-8) 168pims, E, 64 shots, and 16 fighting majors…named the Worcester Sharks UnSung Hero and was alternate captain…ranked 3rd among AHL defensemen with 16 fighting majors…missed eight total games from three separate AHL suspensions… played 11 games at the forward position…scored one game winning goal (12/28)… game-by-game: suspended by the AHL for 4 games due to post game brawl in Portland on 4/7…recorded 19 penalty minutes (2 minors, major for spearing, and game misconduct) in 5-4SOL at Portland on 4/7…suspended by AHL on 4/1 for two games due to check on Andy Miele on 3/30…assist, +1 and 16th fighting major vs. Richard Clune in 5-1L at Manchester on 3/25…15th fighting major vs. Harry Young on 3/21…assist and +3 in 5-2W vs. Bridgeport on 3/18…14th fighting major vs. Carl Sneep on 3/17…assist and +2 in 6-4W vs. Portland on 3/9…13th fighting major vs. Mark Louis on 2/25… assist and 11th and 12th fighting majors in 5-3L vs. Providence on 2/24…+1 and 10th fighting major vs. Dane Byers in 2-1 win at Springfield on 2/19…9th fighting major vs. Jared Nightingale on 2/18…assist on 2/12 in 5-2W vs. Portland on 2/12…8th fighting major (Rechlicz) on 2/11…7th fighting major vs. Jordan Hill on 2/10…played forward for nine games on 1/8-2/3…6th fighting major vs. Bobby Robins on 1/20….5th FM vs. Maxim Gonchorov on 12/31…scored first goal as a member of the Worcester Sharks, the game winner, and #3 star in 3-1W vs. Manchester on 12/28…did not dress on 12/26…+2 on 12/16…4th FM vs. Cody Bass on 12/13…3rd fighting major (Ramsey) on 12/11…recorded his first two assists as a Shark and blocked several shots in 4-3W at St. John’s on 12/9…2nd fighting major vs. Jordan Nolan on 12/4…did not dress for two games due to AHL suspension (11/26-12/2)… picked up his first fighting major as a Worcester Shark vs. Ray Kaunisto in 2-1L at Manchester on 11/23…did not dress 6 games on 10/29-11/13…did not dress on 10/22… made Worcester Sharks debut and recorded 7 penalty minutes in 6-1W vs. Albany on 10/15…did not dress on 10/9… enters 5th professional season, his first with the Sharks…2010-11: Led team in penalty minutes and recorded 17 fighting major penalties… Posted a season-high 17 PIM on March 18 vs. Hamilton and on Jan. 7 vs. Adirondack…Scored a goal in back-to-back games on Dec. 8 vs. Lake Erie and Dec. 10 vs. Chicago…Career 2009-10: Fourth on the team in PIM and had 10 fighting majors…T-4th on the team in plus/minus (plus- 7)…Playoffs: Posted four assists and 31 PIM in 13 Calder Cup Playoff games…2008-09: Made his NHL debut with Calgary on April 3 at Minnesota…Registered his first NHL point with an assist on April 6 vs. Los Angeles and added his first penalty minutes in the same game (seven, fighting major vs. Brian Boyle)…AHL: Third on Quad City in penalty minutes… and had 7 fighting majors…2007-08: Second on team in penalty minutes and had 10 fighting majors…Scored his first professional goal (and point) on Oct. 7 vs. Peoria…Named the team’s Most Improved Player…2006-07: Led team in penalty minutes and second amongst team defensemen in points…2005-06: Split the season between Sarnia and London…A member of the 2005-06 Ontario Hockey League regular season champions with London...2004-05: Won the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award as the top academic high school student in the Ontario Hockey League.
PERSONAL: “Pelly” or “Big Dog” lists these favorites: Mom’s cooking, especially pasta (food); Relaxing (offseason activity); Baseball (sport besides hockey); Joey Votto (athlete); Zoolander (movie); House (TV show); Neil Young or Counting Crows (band); Friend’s cottage in Perry Sound, ON (vacation spot); Chris Pronger or Phil Esposito (hockey idol); When his brothers got drafted, meaning all 3 now play in NHL organizations (hockey moment); Chicago (road city); Toronto Maple Leafs (non-Sharks jersey)… Has a hidden talent of being able to play guitar extremely well…His first job was coaching at hockey school… Would be coaching hockey if he was not playing hockey professionally…If he could hang out with one person in history he would want to play guitar with Neil Young… Says Matthew McConaughey would be the actor to star in a movie about his life…Can’t live without a refrigerator… Biggest influence on his hockey career was his mom… Names Patrick Kane the most exciting player to watch in the NHL…Thinks either Michael Grabner or Darren Helm are the fastest skaters in the NHL…Says Raffi Torres is the hardest hitter in the NHL…The best thing about his hometown of Toronto, ON is hanging out with his family and friends.